call me for free online!

you can call me for free anytime anywhere... ish. you can download skype to your computer and we can talk. totally free! remember though, that i am 7 hours ahead of central time...
go to the "call me" green bubble on the right side of the blog and click on it.

Fresh milk anyone?

well, i am turning out to be quite the bavarian (much to the dismay of my berliner friends)! the farm down the road has fresh cow milk where you just bring your bottles and fill them up from the container dealy and leave your 50 cent in the change jar... you have to be sure to drink it fast though as it has no preservatives. so we went ahead and embraced the perfect moment to make brownies and enjoy our fresh cold milk, coffee with milk, and even hot chocolate made with milk. i am dairied out!

Germany 101: Rolladens

eh? germans don't play when it comes to sleeping. they put the house on virtual "lock-down". most houses have these built-in outdoor blinds for lack of a better term. when these bad boys are closed, your room is now batcave-esque. no light is getting in. when you wake up, it could very well be next tuesday as you have no clue what time it really is and you just have to try to make out your clock (assuming it is a light-up one, which mine is not) to figure out whether it's time to join the rest of the world and it's goings on, or roll back over for another hour or three. i have to crack them a little or i would NEVER get up. i tell you, these people have their priorities straight...

Germany 101: Recycling

this is the part of the blog where i will share with you all as i learn the joys of recycling as a lifestyle. it is not an option and there are slightly more rules than when i lived in brookside and you simply threw all plastic, paper, and aluminum into a bin. no sir, there are specific days when you dispose of your plastic, other days for paper, another for "garbage" and the fun part is that they aren't the same from week to week or month to month. there are so many dang holidays around here so that messes up the whole schedule - one week it's on friday, then the next monday... who knows. it's all some big conspiracy filled with unspoken rules and loopholes so that when confronted by a four-holed trash container on the street, and i can't even read the words of what to put where, i just wait until i can safely assume no one is looking, and cram my bread wrapper into whatever hole is closest to me. the fine art of recycling is overwhelming and even with all of my visits here, i am still learning. some of your recycling is picked up, the glass you take yourself, beer bottles and plastic bottles you take back to the store where you purchased it for a refund, the food waste is separated into liquidy flushables and solid biodegradables (which stink up the kitchen) as they have no disposals... yes, this is normal and there is a very intricate system and i am silly for not knowing what goes where. if any of you happen to have any other tips on recycling here, please share them with me as i discover how to make the most of the limited resources and care for the environment. germans are very conscientious of this and i rather enjoy it, however dumbfounding it is to me currently...

Wilkommen aus Deutschland!

Hallo! i have now been here one week and two days - and it has snowed every one of those... but that's ok, i am adapting and becoming more and more german everyday. strolling around the frozen lake, enjoying the midday wine with lunch (outdoors), and opening wide the windows for the fresh air are a way of life here. and quite refreshing to be honest. i even have an apartment waiting for me in april, so in the meantime i am collecting furniture donations from generous people in the church and then, one glorious day i will head off to the one and only IKEA for all the rest of my stuff - including a kitchen! yes, you read correctly, i have to buy the whole deal: cabinets, sink, oven, stove, fridge, everything. there are hookups all ready. the germans just take it all with them when they move. homes do not even include closets, you have to purchase the wardrobe, or "shrank". wednesday is magic day, when i will be hopefully obtaining the all-important visa. my key to germany and what basically makes life here possible. i am especially enjoying the slower simpler pace before ministry comes in full force. i look forward to all that germany has in store for me.
"... if you run for God - you won't regret it" Psalm 2:11

March 1 - destination: Munich

we have a date! i am boarding the plane on the afternoon of wednesday march 1st. i will arrive in munich on the morning of the 2nd. my friendly staff will pick myself and the other intern, micheal, up about the same time. what a blessing to start this new position with someone else. it's rare that international interns start at the same time, as we are all fundraising and you never know when all of the funds will be in. so this is great news for both of us. i will be staying at my boss's apartment until i find my own apartment. i do have a car that has been donated awaiting my arrival there in munich - praise the lord. in the last two weeks i am packing and shipping a lot of my stuff, meeting with a few churches still, getting all of the paperwork finished off, and saying my goodbyes. thank you for doing this with me. the lord has gone before me and is preparing a place for me. i am a flurry of emotions, but i know this is so right. next time i write, i'll be in germania - the fulfillment of years of preparation. god is good, my friends.

80% and growing!

the latest update on the finances is that i have raised 80% of my first year's budget. i still need $1000 a month before i can leave. this is great, my friends. i have still been traveling around, talking to churches and missions boards hoping to get the last of it raised in the next couple weeks. it has been my pleasure to get to meet so many folks along the way who breathe new life and encouragement into me and this ministry. and to see how God has orchestrated every nuance of my life to get me to where i am now and how the whole big picture fits together.
i want you to know by giving, we are giving back to god his resources and he is using them to give kids hope and value. thank you immensely for this. i know that there are so many other wonderful organizations asking for help and there are many demands on you all. this is such a life-changing investment, that will not return void. you are a part of speaking love and truth into kids who have been hurt and overlooked. i couldn't want anything more. blessings.

thee committee

the committee. wow. what an amazing crew of supporters and servers. these are my people. they have been the backbone to this whole operation and will continue to do so while i am away in germania. since i have no one church that is backing me, i have a committee of committed friends and peers to send me off and help me in this process. if you think my brochures are super rad or that i have raised the funds all by myself or i know how to figure out all of the finances or just coasted through this, it is a great facade. it's all them. they have walked with me in this whole fundraising extravaganza and done everything they could to make this possible. they believe in this mission and these kids and that we are changing lives and giving hope to kids. i am honored to have them beside me and praying over me. with you all and them, together we are a mighty force for god's great kingdom. i am not alone and He goes before me.

fellow München-ers

these boys are my new friends and soon to be new young life staffers in munich. they are also in the fundraising process to move over and be interns like me. both michael and adam are amazing and i think we will be a great team. however, they have a small leg-up over myself, they both sprechen deutsch. lucky! god willing, i too will someday be able to carry on a decent german conversation. until then, i blubber and blunder through and they just appreciate the effort. pray for them as well and that we can be a great team full of grace and love for each other. god is setting things up and getting everything in its' place. amen.

new staff training in colorado

i am here at Frontier Ranch Young Life camp. all of us young, green staffers are gettin' real smart. i have the great privelege of learning about the life of christ, the ins and outs of young life, cross cultural issues, the history of young life, and adolescent culture. i have only been here three days, and already i have experienced so much. i would wager a guess that no matter how old and "mature" i get, i will always feel a little insecure, less capable, unstimulating, and just plain dumb sometimes. i am stretching and growing in areas i feel both weak and strong in. that's a good thing. sometimes i wonder, what am i getting myself into and then i think, what else would i rather do? what else is so life-giving as to remind me, kids, and everyone involved that all that matters is god and his great love for us? i am confronted with how wonderful and refreshing the Gospel is and how i pale in comparison. but that's also a beautiful thing to be in complete awe and wonder of the God of the Universe who created all of this and still wants to use me, broken and fragile. thank you to all who are investing in the lives of young people and who bring their resources to God's table, where we all will be filled to overflowing with God's goodness and sweet grace. you are making this journey possible and i pray that through my willingness to be a fool, kids will know of a whole, forgiven, and joyful life both here on earth and in heaven. you have chosen wisely and i am eternally grateful for this opportunity.

my new digs

here it is, my new cozy domicile. pretty average really, for germany. he-he. actually many folks have asked just what the living situation will be when i arrive to Munich (and i really will live in a smaller town 20 minutes outside called Starnberg). although there is no "right" way to do this, i will probably live by myself in an apartment. i could look for a family or a roommate, but the chances of finding one who readily accepts kids running through it at all hours of the day are slim, and since i won't be inside munich, there are even fewer odds. so, i will keep my eyes peeled for a rommie so that my living will be as cheap, yet as accesible to kids as possible.
and here's my sweet ride... as far as transportation goes, i will have a car. although i wanted to be uber-cool euroTaryn and just catch a train or bus everywhere, they want me to have my own tranportation. while we can ride the subway to and from munich, in the village i will be hauling students around and picking them up and the usual youth minister activities. it will be hard to get around within the town without one. we'll see how it goes. naturally, the germans think this is crazy american talk, since they are so environmentally conscientious. and you will be proud to know, taryn will be re-mounting what is known as a bike. hang with me now, these ancient forms of transportation are familiar to those children usually 10 and younger, and a few brave adults living in larger cities. you actually ride these to and from places and it not only saves the environment, but also gives you a nice workout. it will be a nice change of pace. and most likely a safer one, since i am not yet adept at manual transmission in cars... silly american.

giving to young life: a how-to

CHECK: Make all checks payable to Young Life and put x299 in the memo line. You can send this to me at 23970 131st Street Leavenworth, KS 66048 or the Young Life Service Center P.O. Box 2920 Colorado Springs, CO 80901.

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER (EFT): Giving this way allows your donations to be automatically withdrawn from your bank account. In order to set this up, you can contact me or you can retrieve a form from the website at http://www.younglife.org/. Click on the “Giving” tab, and click on the “Give a one-time or monthly gift” link. Then there will be a link for the Electronic Funds Transfer Form on the lower right. You will need to indicate X299 in the “Area/destination” blank.

CREDIT CARD: Giving by credit card also allows your gifts to be automatically charged monthly, or for a one-time donation and you may receive money back at the end of the year or frequent flyer miles! In order to set this up, you can contact me, or you can set up your giving online at http://www.younglife.org/. Click on the “Giving” tab and you will be walked through 3 easy steps. At Step 2, indicate “Other destinations” and put X299 in the text box. You will receive a confirmation of the donation via e-mail and a receipt in the mail.

GOODS and SERVICES will be handled separately so we would need to talk to work out the details for such a donation.

PLANNED GIVING: See http://www.younglife.org/ and click on “giving” tab to see options. This includes Gifts of Stock, Gifts of Will, Life Income Gifts, Charitable Lead Trusts, etc.

MATCHING GIFT COMPANIES: Check to see if your company matches what you give to non-profits. This is an easy way to double your donation!

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INVESTMENT IN THE LIVES OF KIDS!

what i have learned...

i have learned a lot especially in the past few months of fundraising and i wanted to share a few highlights with you.
i learned:
-i am better for the wait.
-some people give more than they spend on themselves
-it's not about me. there are more worthy people out there - spiritually, financially, intellectually
-god uses broken people to bring about His kingdom, we are not spectators, nor are we perfect
-becoming more like god isn't reading more or doing "spiritual" things, but probably a lot more of doing things you don't particularly want to do
-in order to step out in faith, you have to have a "faith" baby-step past, then you can take the bigger jumps
-it's crazy how god has a purpose for everything, i didn't realize he had five or 6 purposes
-he makes all things new and works everything out for His glory

"i'm so gratedful to Christ Jesus for making me adequate to do this work. he went out on a limb, you know, in trusting me with this ministry. the only credentials i brought to it were invective and ..arrogance. but i was treated mercifully because i didn't know what i was doing...grace mixed with faith and love poured over me and into me. and all because of jesus." 1 timothy 1:14

a day in the life

waitress by day, fundraiser extraordinaire by night... many people have asked me what exactly it is that i do when i say that i am "fundraising". good question. at the lunchhour, you can find me working at Houlihan's Restaurant in Fairway, KS so that i can continue to pay for life and all that comes with it. but when the black and hyper-color green uni comes off (ah, sweet humility), it's time to kick germany into full gear. i am fundraising relationally; which means that i call people i know and spread the word far and wide by mouth. i don't cold call people and i have yet to approach any organizations (although that is not unheard of). so far, i just send letters to people in all kinds of crazy circles of life and ask them to join me in this venture. i have loved it. what a beautiful way to cement this calling and really let God and people affirm it over and over again. it is so humbling and very appropriate to ask people to give of their resources and time to God through me. i could not have imagined a better way to prepare me to enter a life of ministry. if you saw me at Houli's with nothing else to do, i would be addressing letters and making calls. sometimes my co-black-and-green-workers even helped out. i have had fundraising desserts where my friends and loved ones invite their aquaintances to a fun evening of me just sharing my story and where i am going next and what the heck God is up to in germany. i have a committee of very amazing and talented people who are my backbone and major supporters, since i am not going with any local church. my commitee has had fundraisers, designed my brochures, printed them, made magnets, helped me figure out my plan and timeline, kept me on track with money, prayed with me, encouraged me and walked intimately alongside me through this whole thing. they are the life of this operation. i am currently filling out church missions boards applications and meeting with pastors and missions committees. i sit down with people or talk with them over the phone, just sharing stories of how God has changed me and used me in this ministry. storytelling, that is fundraising, just as Christ told stories and we the church have been incorporating our story into God's big story for centuries. reminding us all that we are not alone, and that God uses all of us to do His work here on earth; bringing to light that still quiet voice that we can so easily tune out or run over. Sharing Christ's hope and love is so life-giving when all the world wants to do is isolate and destroy us. i am not alone. i have never felt so prayed for and affirmed and surounded by a great cloud of witnesses. this is right!

how's the fundraising going, you might ask...

well. quite well. right on track. there are three ways to look at it and i don't want to confuse you. so pledged: there is my monthly salary, and my one-time start up fees, and then what is actually in the bank right now.
monthly, i need $3665 and i have $2511 pledged (everyday i get closer). one time start up expenses are $12,934 and i have all of it! praise the lord.
actually in the bank i need $23,929 and i have $11,000.
in order for me to leave, i need to have 100% of my monthly salary pledged and all of the $24,000 in the bank. so... i just need a little more pledged and then about $13,000 in the bank.
very do-able, my friends. i am thinking late january for the departure date, as i have young life training for all new staff january 9-23 in colorado. so, we will see how the holidays are. i am loving fundraising and watching God bring people and resources together for His will. it is crazy humbling. thank you to everyone who has made this possible! i am excited to do this with you and love kids for you and our merciful Father. have a blessed advent.


For the Second Sunday of Advent
C. F. Blumhardt

It is Advent again. We call this time Advent because it reminds us of what comes from God for the creation of his kingdom on earth. There are many today who sigh to heaven, “Savior, come now!” But they are not sighing for the sake of God’s kingdom. They cry out like this only when they are in trouble and want God to help them. And they don’t know of any help that is more effective than to have a Savior come and put a quick end to their troubles.
When it comes to the things of God, however, we must not be concerned for what is ours, but only for what belongs to Christ. We should do this not merely for our own edification; we must become workers for God. This leads us to God’s vineyard, a place where there is not a great deal of talk, but where everyone is intent on deeds.

things i like about germany

nutella, duh. ok, something more creative... the way they embrace nature, as opposed to the way we embrace plastic. hmmmmm, nature, plastic, nature, plastic.... tough one. spiced peanuts in the little stands. crepes, glorious crepes, with sugar and cinnamon, nutella, applesauce, even ham and cheese. (different crepe though). bakeries and butchers. tea. mounds and mounds of tea, all flavors, all scents, all colors. people walking everywhere. you actually see people when you look out the window. cobblestone roads. the ones where you turn an ankle when you are all dolled up and lookin cute with your stiletto heels on. yeah, those cobblestone roads. people with good fashion sense, and then those without any... history. not as in "this church was built before i was even born!" but as in this church was built before this millennium. that people still drive on the right side of the road - praise the lord! the type A public transportation system. i never really wonder if the train is coming or not - it will be there, at the right time, in the right place, period. the ever creative use of scarves as fashion or defense against the cold. no crazy annoying salespeople in stores. in fact, you might have to hunt one down. if it's 10 degrees below freezing, there are still people outside. they do that. they turn off the car when sitting at a stoplight. it saves the ecosystem. there are four different recycling containers where we would have one trash can. i still can't figure out the complexities of where it all goes. they open their windows in the winter for fresh air... ahhh... germany...

crazy stoic germans (silent headshake)

check out this article. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1625575,00.html
"Germans aren't known as the most lighthearted folks around: Getting one to laugh can seem like pulling teeth. An entrepreneur in Berlin wants to change that and wants to educate his countrymen about the joy of laughing.
Chortling, chuckling, giggling and busting a gut are words not often associated with Germans, whose spectrum of facial expressions generally ranges from dour to, if you're lucky, neutral..."

will they get me? will they think i am loony? ah, we will see...

the first

and we are a go. i am off to pursue the next adventure - germany! you can check out www.younglife.org and www.munich.younglife.org for more info on younglife. the plan is to move to munich in january after raising all of my funds. ta ta for now